Swirled with Basil

Our kitchen cabinets stink. They just do. They have pegs that fall out, then the shelves all fall down and then it's time to figure out different holes to put new pegs or figure out a different solution. It also means we go through everything in the cabinet and toss what is old and outdated. Well... this time the honey fell victim to the tossing. So when I went to make this bread, no honey. I used corn syrup instead - I think it worked out just fine.
We were having my parents over for a back yard BBQ - complete with this super fancy and delicious bread! Fancy AND delicious it certainly was! It was so soft and yummy. My swirl wasn't quite like the described one - but it was huge and pretty. It rose quite a bit, and when we sliced it, little pieces feel off so that made it perfect for taste testing. Certainly a winning recipe that we'll try again - maybe even with honey next time!

Swirled Garlic Herb Bread
3/4 cup warm whole milk
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons honey
3 large eggs
3 1/2 - 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature, plus more for serving
1-2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, yeast, honey, eggs, 3 1/2 cups flour, and salt. Using the dough hook, mix until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4-5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons room temp butter and mix until combined, about 2-3 minutes more. If the dough is still sticky, add the additional 1/2 cup flour, adding more as needed until the dough is smooth to touch.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
3. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, the garlic and basil, in a small bowl.
4. Punch the dough down and roll out onto a lightly floured surface, creating a large rectangle about 12 x 18 inches. Spread the garlic herb butter evenly over the dough. Starting with the long edge closest to you, roll the dough into a log, keeping it fairly tight as you go. When you reach the edge, pinch along the edge to seal.
5. Using a sharp knife, cut the log of dough in half lengthwise, leaving a small portion at one end intact (see above photo). Turn the halves to expose the filling. Cross the dough ropes over each other, repeating the twisting until you have a long, twisted dough.
6. Coil half the rope up like a snake, stopping when you reach halfway. Then, coil the second half of the rope in the opposite direction (see above photo). Carefully transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the bread to the oven and bake 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the bread is cooked through. Brush the top of the loaf with butter. Slice and serve warm...with additional butter.